New scheme designed to promote clean inland shipping and sustainable logistics in Rotterdam.

Image credit:

Updated on 23 Jan 2018 08:31 GMT

A new incentive scheme to promote clean inland shipping and sustainable logistics in Rotterdam is now accepting online applications from interested parties.

The Port of Rotterdam Authority's scheme provides contributions to new projects that result in reductions in fuel consumption, greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) and air emissions (NOx, PM) for inland shipping. The incentive scheme is open to companies and public law organisations.

The maximum incentive amounts are said to be 25 percent for eligible research projects and 75 percent for projects focusing on concrete implementation of tangible initiatives.

Applications should be made to the Inland Shipping Expertise and Innovation Centre (EICB) at www.eicb.nl by February 28.

Once the application process is completed, an independent Innovation Council will then assess each proposal and produce a ranking based on the environmental returns (reduction in fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and air emissions) per euro of each project in the Rotterdam area up until 2025.

In its annual report for 2016, entitled 'Building a sustainable future. Make it happen', Port of Rotterdam Authority called for
"an acceleration of the energy transition" and said that by 2050 virtually no greenhouse gases will be emitted at Europe's leading bunker port.

Bunker Index also reported in November that Nedcargo, Heineken and Port of Rotterdam Authority had held discussions regarding the idea of developing the first electric inland container vessel, which would be used to transport products via a 'green corridor' between the Alpherium container terminal in Alphen aan den Rijn (north of Rotterdam), Rotterdam and Antwerp.

"Our project aims to make sailing between Alphen aan den Rijn and Rotterdam and Antwerp emissionless," Nedcargo's Bert van Grieken said at the time.